Football Betting: Allardyce Backed For New Management Role

Wagers on return of Allardyce taken by sports betting operators.

Sports betting firms are offering odds on Sam Allardyce making a return to the Premier League following reports linking the former Bolton Wanderers manager to Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers.

With both clubs currently lacking a manager due to the departures of Roy Keane and Paul Ince, Allardyce is thought to be in the running for both jobs, although he is believed to favour a return to former club Sunderland.

William Hill offers 5/6 that Big Sam will join either club on a permanent basis, with the same odds available on neither job materialising for the 54-year-old.

At 11/8, Graeme Souness is the current favourite to take over at Blackburn with William Hill, although Ladbrokes prices the Scot at 5/4 and is offering 5/6 on Allardyce.

Meanwhile, Paddy Power makes Allardyce joint-favourite to become Sunderland's new manager, at 7/2 alongside Ricky Sbragia.

With Ince now gone, William Hill has made Mark Hughes favourite to be the next top-flight manager to leave his job, with odds of 11/4 on the Manchester City boss.

Bolton's Gary Megson is a 5/1 bet, while West Ham United manager Gianfranco Zola can be backed at 6/1.